1. Technical Field
This document relates to methods and materials involved in assessing immunity to folate receptors as well as methods and materials involved in stimulating immunity to folate receptors.
2. Background Information
Folate receptor α (FRα) is a GPI-linked protein that is important in neurological development and is overexpressed on nearly all ovarian cancers and a high proportion of breast cancers (Parker et al., Anal. Biochem., 338:284-93 (2005); Bagnoli et al., Gynecol. Oncol., 88:S140-4 (2003); Holm et al., Apmis, 102:413-9 (1994); Holm et al., Biosci. Rep., 13:1-7 (1993); Holm et al., Adv. Exp. Med. Biol., 338:757-60 (1993); Weitman et al., Cancer Res., 52:3396-401 (1992); and Elnakat and Ratnam, Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev., 56:1067-84 (2004)). Overexpression of FRα is associated with increased tumor aggressiveness (Toffoli et al., Int. J. Cancer, 79:121-6 (1998); Toffoli et al., Int. J. Cancer, 74:193-8 (1997); Bottero et al., Cancer Res., 53:5791-6 (1993); and Campbell et al., Cancer Res., 51:5329-38 (1991)). Immunity to FRα is associated with neural tube defects in the developing embryo and cerebral folate deficiency syndrome in children (Rothenberg et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 350:134-42 (2004); da Costa et al., Res. A. Clin. Mol. Teratol., 67:837-47 (2003); Willemsen et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 353:740 (2005); Ramaekers et al., N. Engl. J. Med., 352:1985-91 (2005); Schwartz, N. Engl. J. Med., 352:1948-50 (2005); and Ramaekers and Blau, Dev. Med. Child Neurol., 46:843-51 (2004)).